Gerrard- "Were ready for the War"

[Lot To Learn]

Gerrard up for fightMartin Lipton Chief Football Writer 07/08/2007Steven Gerrard could never stand accused of not wanting to shed blood for Liverpool's cause.But the proof the England midfielder is ready to go to war for his new Anfield team-mates as well may be the Premier League marker the Merseyside faithful have craved to see.Rafa Benitez's understated reaction to Gerrard's part in the skirmish that marred the club's final pre-season outing in Rotterdam on Sunday was what might have been expected.Gerrard's response to seeing Daniel Agger shoved by Feyenoord's Theo Lucius was instantaneous and significant. The midfielder made a mockery of the notion of a friendly as he meted out physical retribution, sparking a melee which could have ended up with red cards and not yellows being brandished.Yet that willingness to come to the aid of a colleague was evidence Gerrard has bought into Benitez's thinking, has looked around the new Liverpool squad and seen a title-challenging team in its infancy, a collection of players worth fighting for.And as Benitez spoke of his plans to restore Gerrard full-time to his rightful role as the Reds' pivot, Rafa may have been excused a smile of genuine contentment, in the knowledge he is finally creating a Liverpool side his captain and talisman deserves to lead.While Gerrard has represented the beating heart of Liverpool for seven years, there was always a feeling that he believed too many of the other organs in the team needed replacing.The midfielder does trust Jamie Carragher, hewn from the same Scouse stone, respects the commitment of Xabi Alonso, has shown faith in Jose Reina, John Arne Riise, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Sami Hyypia and others over the years.Yet often, for all that Gerrard rolled up his sleeves to lead by example, dragging his side up by their boot straps and demanding the men around him showed as much passion as him, the doubts were apparent - too many players not good enough for the Liverpool shirt.Gerrard knows how much The Kop yearns to see Liverpool crowned as champions again, a target placed in front of Benitez too. Seventeen years and counting is an anchor dragging down the hopes of every Anfield fan.But even if there are kinks to iron out - and the pressure is on £26million Fernando Torres to prove he can score 20-plus goals a season - there is nothing that does that better than a kindred spirit, the "all for one and one for all" mentality fostered by Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.Gerrard kept his counsel over the Rotterdam fracas, other than to admit: "The game was exactly what you want a week before the start."You want an intense, close game and we certainly got that."Whether we're ready or not, only time will tell. But what I can say is we've trained hard and we feel as though we are ready. Now it's up to myself and the rest of the players to go out and do it." It was a call to arms and Alonso gave an insight that suggested the skipper's instincts have been sharpened by the last month of pre-season work.The Spaniard said: "When players have been together for years you become more of a team and whenever a problem arises, it's good everyone wants to show we're there for each other."We're not an overly aggressive team, so nobody wants to go too far. It was a good test for us. If you show controlled aggression it's a good quality."Against Feyenoord both sides wanted to win and it shows the players are now ready for the start of the season."Liverpool, notoriously slow starters under Benitez, have to be ready, to prevent those hopes of finally wresting back the title withering and dying before the season has got into its stride.In 2004, three defeats in their opening seven games left Liverpool 12 points off the pace. A year later they were 17 points behind Chelsea by the first weekend in October and last season saw four defeats in the opening nine games leave them 11th and 11 points adrift.But now, perhaps for the first time, Gerrard sees a dressing room as desperate to win the big one as he himself.And he is ready to come out fighting for them too

[McLovin' Jones]

Gerrard up for fightMartin Lipton Chief Football Writer 07/08/2007Steven Gerrard could never stand accused of not wanting to shed blood for Liverpool's cause.But the proof the England midfielder is ready to go to war for his new Anfield team-mates as well may be the Premier League marker the Merseyside faithful have craved to see.Rafa Benitez's understated reaction to Gerrard's part in the skirmish that marred the club's final pre-season outing in Rotterdam on Sunday was what might have been expected.Gerrard's response to seeing Daniel Agger shoved by Feyenoord's Theo Lucius was instantaneous and significant. The midfielder made a mockery of the notion of a friendly as he meted out physical retribution, sparking a melee which could have ended up with red cards and not yellows being brandished.Yet that willingness to come to the aid of a colleague was evidence Gerrard has bought into Benitez's thinking, has looked around the new Liverpool squad and seen a title-challenging team in its infancy, a collection of players worth fighting for.And as Benitez spoke of his plans to restore Gerrard full-time to his rightful role as the Reds' pivot, Rafa may have been excused a smile of genuine contentment, in the knowledge he is finally creating a Liverpool side his captain and talisman deserves to lead.While Gerrard has represented the beating heart of Liverpool for seven years, there was always a feeling that he believed too many of the other organs in the team needed replacing.The midfielder does trust Jamie Carragher, hewn from the same Scouse stone, respects the commitment of Xabi Alonso, has shown faith in Jose Reina, John Arne Riise, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Sami Hyypia and others over the years.Yet often, for all that Gerrard rolled up his sleeves to lead by example, dragging his side up by their boot straps and demanding the men around him showed as much passion as him, the doubts were apparent - too many players not good enough for the Liverpool shirt.Gerrard knows how much The Kop yearns to see Liverpool crowned as champions again, a target placed in front of Benitez too. Seventeen years and counting is an anchor dragging down the hopes of every Anfield fan.But even if there are kinks to iron out - and the pressure is on £26million Fernando Torres to prove he can score 20-plus goals a season - there is nothing that does that better than a kindred spirit, the "all for one and one for all" mentality fostered by Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.Gerrard kept his counsel over the Rotterdam fracas, other than to admit: "The game was exactly what you want a week before the start."You want an intense, close game and we certainly got that."Whether we're ready or not, only time will tell. But what I can say is we've trained hard and we feel as though we are ready. Now it's up to myself and the rest of the players to go out and do it." It was a call to arms and Alonso gave an insight that suggested the skipper's instincts have been sharpened by the last month of pre-season work.The Spaniard said: "When players have been together for years you become more of a team and whenever a problem arises, it's good everyone wants to show we're there for each other."We're not an overly aggressive team, so nobody wants to go too far. It was a good test for us. If you show controlled aggression it's a good quality."Against Feyenoord both sides wanted to win and it shows the players are now ready for the start of the season."Liverpool, notoriously slow starters under Benitez, have to be ready, to prevent those hopes of finally wresting back the title withering and dying before the season has got into its stride.In 2004, three defeats in their opening seven games left Liverpool 12 points off the pace. A year later they were 17 points behind Chelsea by the first weekend in October and last season saw four defeats in the opening nine games leave them 11th and 11 points adrift.But now, perhaps for the first time, Gerrard sees a dressing room as desperate to win the big one as he himself.And he is ready to come out fighting for them too

This is why I can't take the English media serious...Had that been a foreign player involved, TRUST that he wouldn't have been talked about in that light

[Buc Nasty]

Ah, the annual war cry from Gerrard.

Gerrard's response to seeing Daniel Agger shoved by Feyenoord's Theo Lucius was instantaneous and significant. The midfielder made a mockery of the notion of a friendly as he meted out physical retribution

LMAOWhat did he do?

[BATTY BOY BUM BANDIT]

Punched my guy in the face.f*cking wasteman...As long as Pool fans always rememberthat Steven Gerrardwanted to join Chelsea then I dont care.Only stayed because he feared for his life.

[Lot To Learn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiHu3UbPkVg

[Eduardo da Silva]

If Gerrard was foreign, the media would have hyped up the incident much more and Liverpool would have released him on a free.

[Lot To Learn]

Thought it was brilliant myself proper showed he was fighting for his team. True passion unlike most of the foreigners in Arsenal team who cheat all the time.

[Spawn]

Cos pieing a man in the face isn't cheating? He didn't even knock him out. See him try that on Hargreaves and Rooney breaks his jaw for him.

[Eduardo da Silva]

Thought it was brilliant myself proper showed he was fighting for his team. True passion unlike most of the foreigners in Arsenal team who cheat all the time.

You mean like Steven "forward two-and-a-half somersault pike" Gerrard?

[8BALL]

Gerrard doesn't want the war.

[Mr Q]

lol that acting like gerrard and rooney aint good friends smh.anyways talking aint sh*t, show it on the pitch.

[Lot To Learn]

If someome starts pushing your boy when ur out with ur friends what you going to do stand there like a p*ssy?Gerrard was backing his teammate.

[Mr Q]

lol waits this to turn into another war......pictures and everything else at the ready.

[Eduardo da Silva]

If someome starts pushing your boy when ur out with ur friends what you going to do stand there like a p*ssy?Gerrard was backing his teammate.

He attempted to punch him but it was a weak p*ssy hit which didn't even affect Lucius.He should have been sent off and banned for about 5 games.

[Flojo]

lol at half the people in here cussing Gerrard for slapping a man after he was provoked but bigging up KEANE & VIEIRA in another topic.Man deserved the slap anyway

[Buc Nasty]

Seventeen years and counting

[Mr Q]

lol at half the people in here cussing Gerrard for slapping a man after he was provoked but bigging up KEANE & VIEIRA in another topic.Man deserved the slap anyway

what do you expect from arsenal fans though, big up the whole bullying of van nistelrooy but chat sh*t now.

[Eduardo da Silva]

You man are lost.Players are provoked MUCH more every weekend and don't react like that.He deserves to be punished but we all know he won't be as he's an English golden boy.

[Spawn]

Should have hit him with his handbag.

[Lot To Learn]

Thought it was brilliant myself proper showed he was fighting for his team. True passion unlike most of the foreigners in Arsenal team who cheat all the time.

You mean like Steven "forward two-and-a-half somersault pike" Gerrard?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14y3ppLswV8Need i say more?

[Mr Q]

You man are lost.Players are provoked MUCH more every weekend and don't react like that.He deserves to be punished but we all know he won't be as he's an English golden boy.

punished for doing what exactly, if lucius dont get punished for pushing agger in the face why would gerrard be punished.

[Flojo]

You man are lost.Players are provoked MUCH more every weekend and don't react like that.He deserves to be punished but we all know he won't be as he's an English golden boy.

I cant argue with that give him a 5 match ban in this competition

[Lot To Learn]

You man are lost.Players are provoked MUCH more every weekend and don't react like that.He deserves to be punished but we all know he won't be as he's an English golden boy.

No you are lost.If you watched the game you would no that they was cheating claiming penalties that werent diving having the ref give them loads of stupid decisions making rash challenges. It all boiled up to that he didnt just do it for no reason.Try and no the whole facts before you post shite ye?

[Eduardo da Silva]

Your hero - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztWniTA0GxkEVEN Hansen admitted it was a dive.

[MrJibbles]

Rooney got done last summer for something less.Thing is you can't raise your arms in a game. He shouldn't have gone running over and push/shove him. There is no real need to go do that.